Connector



Jan. 23, 1962 D. J. STEVENS 3,018,460

CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 21, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

Dan J. Stevens A Ila/nay United States Patent 3,018,460 CONNECTOR Don J. Stevens, Overland Park, Kans., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Filed Dec. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 861,158 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-92) This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly to connectors having plural contacts.

In certain applications it is necessary or desirable that two parts be fixedly assemblable and that associated electrical connections be simultaneously and automatically established between keyed electrical connector components that are carried by the two parts. But since the relationship of the two parts as well as the relationship of each connector component to its respectively associated part may vary, and since these variations may accumulate to an extent such that proper assembly is rendered problematical, such designs are frequently avoided, particularly among the components of a massproduced assembly.

This sort of a design, wherein a number of parts are to be assembled in a fixed chain-like manner, may be said to be a locked-in tolerance design. Such a design requires for certain assemblability, either that all the parts be substantially perfect as they relate to the assembly or that there exist a happy coincidence such that all the cumulative errors in the fixed chain are substantially compensating.

This latter alternative may not be depended upon to secure certainty of assemblability of such a design and the former requires perfection in the involved parts insofar as they are related in assembly. Of course, perfection in manufacture is quite expensive inasmuch as it normally entails the slow work of holding extremely tight tolerances, frequent inspections, and numerous rejects.

The present invention aims to overcome the above and other difliculties or disadvantages by providing simple and inexpensive means for assuring proper assemblability. I

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a multi-contact connector element adapted for flangemounting and for automatic precise rotative adjustment with respect to said flange in response to rotative moveinent of a mating connector element.

Another object of the invention is' to provide an improved connector assembly, the components of which may be quickly installed by relatively unskilled personnel and readily selectively set to accurate mating relationship in the event of misalignment.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a connector applicable to design environments wherein the use of prior art connectors would entail excessive expense.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a connector particularly adaptable in design environments wherein locked-in tolerance build-up or accumulation would otherwise be apt to prevent proper assembly.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a connector requiring only ordinary precision in its and its mating components manufacture and, yet, particularly adapted for installations requiring extraordinary exactness.

\A still another further object of the invention is the economical provision of a compact connector assembly which is adaptable to both ordinary and unusual installations.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claim, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description. The preferred embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and their application in practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and modifications as are best adapted to the particular use contemplated.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, generally pictorial view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, partially sectional view of the device of FIG. 1.

With further reference to the drawing, the invention is shown embodied in a flange-mounting multi-contact element 10, generally comprising a multi-contact con nector body 11 adapted to be fixedly retained in desired position with respect to a component 32 by a clamping flange 12, but to be rotationally adjusted with respect to the component 32 and the clamping flange 12 upon loosening the latter.

The connector body 11 is generally cylindrical having a stepped exterior including a mounting flange 13 at its forward end. The rear face of this flange is adapted to shoulder against or abut a mounting surface in assembly as will be described. The periphery of the flange 13 is reduced in diameter at its forward face to define a shouldered lip 14 which is adapted to accommodate the clamping flange 12. Although body 11 may be made of any suitable material, aluminum is preferred. The body 11 has a longitudinal bore 15 which retains connector insert 17.

This connector insert 17 is shown to be a multi-contact female receptacle of the Cannon type having a number of female contacts 18 extending longitudinally of and imbedded in a suitable insulating material comprising the body of the insert, such that a definite cross sectional array of contacts is maintained. This insulating material may be polychloroprene, for example. It is to be understood, of course, that the particular insert 17 shown is but an example and that a male connector insert of this or other type may be used. The female receptacle insert shown is radially spaced from the body bore 15 at its forward end such that a longig tudinally extending key 19 protruding radially inwardly of the bore surface lies longitudinally along the insert surface. The insert 17 is fixed against rotation with respect to the bore so that the geometrical array of female contacts 18 bears a definite relation to the bore key 19.

As is indicated in the drawing, a generally cylindrical space 23 extends arcuately about the forward portion of the insert from either face of the bore key 19. This keyed space is designed to accommodate a longitudinally extending protective barrel of a mating male connector to be described.

Connector clamping flange 12, preferably made of steel plate, has a centrally located aperture 25 comprising a bore 26 and a counterbore 27 which are respectively sized to respectively receive the reduced diameter forward portion and the shouldered lip 14 of the body mounting flange 13. A clamp shoulder 29 is provided at the juncture of the bore 26 and counterbore 27. In mounted as- 3 sembly of the device, this shoulder 29 coacts with the shouldered lip 14 to securely clamp the connector in a manner to be described. A suitably located number of mounting holes 28 in the flange 12 are adapted to receive mounting screws 30. Although the shape of clamping flange 12 is shown to be generally rectangular, it will be apparent that other suitable shapes may be employed.

The connector element may be assembled and mounted with respect to a chassis wall or component 32, for example, by providing said wall or component with a mounting aperture 33, sized such that it will freely longitudinally receive an end portion of the multi-contact connector body 11 and, yet, small enough such that its marginal wall surface provides a stop means for abutment flange 13. In addition, the wall or component 32 may be provided with threaded screw receiving holes 34 which are suitably spaced about aperture 33 so as to align with mounting holes 28 of clamping flange 12.

In assembly, body 11 is placed within aperture 33 such that abutment flange 13 contacts the wall surface marginal to the aperture and then clamping flange 12 is placed over and about the abutment flange 13 so that clamp shoulder 29 of the flange 12 is brought into engagement with shoulder lip 14. The mounting holes 28 are then aligned with screw receiving holes 34 so that screws 30 may be inserted to secure the clamp flange 12 to chassis wall or component 32. As is most clearly apparent from FIG. 2, the lip-flange portion of body 11 is thus retained between the opposing surfaces of the chassis wall 32 and the clamp shoulder 29 of clamping flange 12. It should be noted that the body 11 is rotationally adjustable, as retained, when the mounting screws are loose and, yet, may be fixedly clamped in an adjusted position by tightening these screws. This feature enables both fine and gross rotational adjustment of the array of female contacts 18 and the associated key 19 with respect to the chassis wall 32 which greatly extends the range of utility of the instant device over prior art devices in that it renders the improved device applicable to design environments in which prior art devices may not practically be used.

One such unusual, but exemplary, design environment is shown in FIG. 1 wherein it is required that a mating male connector element 40 be securely held in engagement with the female element so that the connection may withstand high acceleration forces. As indicated in FIG. 1, this may be accomplished by flange mounting the male element to the chassis wall 32 to which the female element is mounted.

The male connector element or plug, 40 is shown protruding from a molded terminal block assembly 36 including associated connecting wiring. Such a block may consist of components potted in epon resin, for example. This block has mounting screw holes 37 suitably spaced to align with threaded screw receiving holes 38 in chassis wall or component 32. This enables the block and male element to be securely fastened to the wall in superposed relation to the female element by means of screws 39.

The protruding male connector element 40 is comprised of connector pins or prongs 41 and a protective barrel 42 arranged to interfit with the array of female contacts 18 and the keyed cylindrical space 23. Barrel 42 is, of course, appropriately slotted at 43 to receive key 19. The face of the block from which the male connector 40 extends may be provided with suitable recesses to accommodate the thickness of the clamping flange and the heads of screws 30 to permit the terminal block face to be firmly held in abutting relation to the surface of the chassis wall 32 by screws 39.

In accord with good production practice the chassis wall 32 is preferably completely machined to receive all units to be mounted thereon prior to the assembly operation. In final assembly, the female connector would be mounted as previously described but with clamping flange 12 drawn to only loose clamping engagement so as to permit rotation of the body 11 with respect to both clamping flange 12 and chassis wall 32. Next in assembly, terminal block 36 may be suitably positioned to enable its protruding male connector element 40 to be shallowly engaged with connector element 10. Upon such engagement the block 36 might then be rotated in order to bring screw holes 37 thereof into alignment with threaded screw holes 38. As the block 36 is thus rotated, the body 11 is constrained to rotate therewith by virtue of the above referred to shallow engagement. Consequently, when holes 37 of block 36 are aligned with holes 38 of part 32, proper alignment of the engaging portions of body 11, i.e., the female contacts and the keyed space, with holes 38 has also been achieved. The block 36 may now be carefully withdrawn so as to separate the shallow connector engagement, but so as not to disturb the newly attained alignment of body 11. Then the body may be fixedly clamped in its aligned orientation by tightening screws 30. The male connector element 40 may now be readily and fully reengaged with connector element 11 and the face of terminal block 36 brought into aligned abutment with wall 32 and securely fastened thereto by screws 39 to complete the final assembly.

The described final assembly, but for the inclusion of the device of this invention, is a locked-in tolerance design. This is apparent in that it would otherwise consist of two keyed connector elements which are irrotationally secured to the same component. Any variation in the rotational alignment of either keyed part with respect to its mounting or wall securing means would tend to make assemblability a matter of statistical probability. However, upon the incorporation of this invention in such a design assemblability thereof is rendered certain, insofar as rotational misalignment is concerned. Further, it will be appreciated that all this is permitted by the finegross adjustment feature of my invention which may be said to automatically dial out any rotational misalignment of the various components during final assembly.

Thus it is seen that the present invention provides a new and improved electrical connector element adapted for automatic and precise rotative adjustment, which adjustment extends a range of applicability to include situations practically impossible with prior art devices. It has also been seen that this improvement in versatility has been provided without the tight tolerances and expense necessarily involved in applying prior art devices to otherwise locked-in tolerance design situations. In addition, it has been seen that the device of the invention enables the employment of otherwise locked-in tolerance build-up designs for truly mass produced assemblies whereas by assemblability of such designs employing prior art devices would be a matter of chance. Finally, it has been seen that the provision of flange-mounted multi-contact connector designs that are adapted to remain unbroken in high-g environments is greatly facilitated.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

An electrical connector of the character described comprising in combination a stationary base member having an aperture therethrough, connector means disposed at least partially within said aperture including a first set of spaced apart contacts surrounded by an insulating member and an annular metal member encircling said insulating member in spaced relationship to provide an annulus therebetween, the portion of said annular member disposed within said aperture having a diameter less than the diameter of said aperture to provide for ready rotation of said annular member and insulating member as a unit with respect to the base member, said annular member having an annular laterally outwardly extending integral flange adjacent an end thereof with a diameter substantially greater than said aperture and overlapping and abutting an outwardly disposed surface of said base member and having an inwardly extending key projecting into said annulus fixedly attached to said insulating member, an outwardly disposed reduced portion around the periphery of said flange forming an outwardly facing uninterrupted seating ledge, a clamping ring having a centrally disposed bore exposing said key and contacts with an inwardly disposed counterbore thereabout forming an inwardly facing seating surface generally complementary to and abutting said outwardly facing seating ledge, bolt means positioned outside the periphery of said annular member for normally securing said clamping ring and said annular member to the base member against rotation, said clamping ring being of a thickness less than the thickness of said flange to provide a space between said ring and said base member when said flange is clamped rigidly against said base member by said ring, a detachable connector plug of insulating material, a second set of spaced contacts centrally disposed in said plug to operatively connect with said first set of contacts when the plug is in the engaged position, a protective cylindrical barrel attached to said plug surrounding the second set of contacts and protruding from the inner face of said plug adapted to interfit in said annulus when the plug is in the engaged position, a slot in the barrel to accommodate said key, a recess in the inner face of said plug surrounding the barrel to accommodate said clamping ring and means to firmly secure the connector plug to the base member with the contacts in the connected position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,075,612 Tregoning Oct. 14, 1913 2,291,808 Henning Aug. 4, 1942 2,427,991 Del Camp Sept. 23, 1947 2,652,445 Simpson Sept. 15, 1953 

